Open letter from Members of the S&D group to the Maltese Presidency RE: Role of citizens and cooperatives in the Clean Energy Package. The recast of the Renewables Directive sets the level of energy from renewable sources in the EU at 27% in 2030. The S&D group will push for at least 40% by 2030…

The more successful the global energy transition gets, the more bashing by the old-skool energy utilities. Or, as I like to call them, the fossils. In every sense of the word. The so-called Magritte Group (named after the surrealist painter) at a visit to the European Parliament on 22 November proved to still be fossils….

The long awaited and much anticipated Energy Union “Jumbo Package” – a package of 8 new and reviewed EU energy draft legislation; on Twitter a.k.a. #CleanEnergyEU (official hashtag), #EnergyUnionPackage, and #WinterPackage – is currently in so-called Inter Service Consultation within the European Commission. The package is scheduled to be adopted, presented and published on Wednesday…

EU Commission uses outdated climate targets in new report* On 8 November 2016, the European Commission informed the European Parliament and the Council of the EU about the progress of the EU towards the ‘at least -40% domestic greenhouse gas emissions versus 1990’ target as agreed in EU’s 2030 Climate & Energy Policy Framework. The…

This is not the type of blog I usually write. But today is different. Winter is here. How does Twitter react to Donald Trump winning the US election 2016? Have a look at my personal impression of Twitter reactions. It may give you some hope – and perhaps even a brief smile. Will the outcome…

On 23-24 May, EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete was in Algiers to strengthen the EU’s energy cooperation with Algeria. Together with the Algeria’s energy Minister Mr Salah Khebri, he opened the very first EU-Algeria Business Forum dedicated to energy. The Forum, a concrete follow-up of the EU-Algeria Political Dialogue on Energy…

As part of the European Energy Union project, the EU Commission held a public consultation on a new Renewable Energy Directive for the period after 2020 (from 18 November 2015 to 10 February 2016). The first results are now in. The Commission received 614 replies to the consultation: 18% of submissions come from industry associations 15% were…

The European Commission may not realise and/or not be ready to admit this, but the Paris Agreement means that the EU commits to net zero GHG emissions by 2050 (and net zero CO2 emissions by 2040). Fair share of #DeliveringOnParis for #EU means net zero CO2 by ~ 2040 (even faster than #0by2050 !) #ParisAgreement…

The EU Ministers for Energy will meet on Monday 6 June 2016. Update 2 June: The meeting page now indicates the agenda highlights: ‘Security of energy supply The Council will try to reach a general approach on a draft decision that sets up aninformation exchange mechanism on energy agreements between member states and non-EU countries….

On Wednesday 13 April the European Commission presented an interim report on its sector inquiry on electricity capacity mechanisms. (On Twitter a.k.a. the #PowerProbe on #CapacityMarkets.) A public consultation on the Power Probe (the interim report and the annexed staff working document) starts as of today; the deadline for comments is 6 July 2016. The Power Probe…

On Tuesday 16 February (rescheduled; was Wednesday 10 February) the European Commission will present the so-called Energy Union ‘Winter Package’. The package will consist of five elements: Revised Security of Gas Supply Regulation Proposal for a revised decision on Intergovernmental agreements in the field of energy Strategy for Liquefied Natural Gas & Storage Strategy for heating…

On Tuesday 16 February (rescheduled; was Wednesday 10 February) the European Commission will present the so-called Energy Union ‘Winter Package’. The package will consist of five elements: Revised Security of Gas Supply Regulation Proposal for a revised decision on Intergovernmental agreements in the field of energy Strategy for Liquefied Natural Gas & Storage Strategy for heating…

As part of the European Energy Union project, the EU Commission held a public consultation on a new electricity market design (15 July 2015 to 9 October 2015). The first results are now in. The Commission received 320 replies to the consultation. 49 % of submissions come from national or EU-wide industry associations 26% of…

On Wednesday 18 November the European Commission will present the first so-called ‘State of the Energy Union‘. A draft of this document was leaked to me last week (28 October 2015). The draft has 14 pages (plus cover page). Its structure: Introduction (p 1) Decarbonisation of the economy – addressing climate change (p 1) Progress made…

(from a press release) European Commission confirms eligibility of revised technical concept for new Danish-German offshore interconnector Energinet.dk and 50Hertz plan to establish a 400 MW offshore interconnection between national power grids 25 September 2015. Fredericia, Berlin. The European Commission has now granted the revised technical layout for the world’s first offshore interconnection that is…

Update 8 November: the EU Council Presidency invites the Permanent Representatives Committee ‘to confirm the agreement on these conclusions [dated 6 November; AS] with a view to their adoption by the TTE (Energy) Council on 26 November 2015.’ Highlights at first glance: Footnote 2, page 9 recalls the the EU objective for 2050: ‘RECALLS the EU objective,…